I will let you know when I finish with my childhood dishes but it’s hard for me to stop as every now and again I must bring something that brings nice memories in. Christmas never fails to bring me beautiful memories so a dish like this is not only delicious food for stomach but food for soul too.
Our soul needs feeding too, so talking about and bringing up nice and positive things to feed our souls with will only bring us joy and happiness. Whatever these things are, they’re what life it’s all about. For me it’s reading, cooking and listening to others, helping them overcome hard moments and times in life, is what I do in my free time and I enjoy it tremendously. It gives me such an inner satisfaction, a real sense of peace, joy and happiness.
Of course being with my lovely family, spending valuable moments with my kids, hubby, talking to my brother and my parents it’s just the ultimate. I’m so fortunate! I’m fortunate to have all these in my life.
Coming back to this simple dish, I’ve made a few changes to what my mum used to make with it. Hers was pretty simple. Just the fruit and sugar.
I wanted to make this initially to introduce healthier snacking to my kids. They love food too and are willing to try new foods, they are adventurous with flavours which makes me super happy. I really wanted to introduce this apple dessert to them more to show them what kind of desserts I was eating as a kid so that they will compare with sweets and desserts we choose to eat nowadays.
Truthfully, I do not remember growing up with so many sweets. No way! Desserts were almost always homemade and since my mum never really enjoyed baking nor cooking that much desserts were a pretty rare occurrence. Turkish delight was something that I could say I had so much of as a kid. It was my favourite anyway, but that was soo good and soft those days and nothing like the one you find here now that tastes a little bit like soap.
The variety of desserts/sweets you could buy those days is nowhere close to the vast amounts of desserts available nowadays. The issue now isn’t so much the variety but rather the degree of processing involved and amounts of additives contained, some being super bad for us.
It’s great that although my kids are only young, they are old enough to understand the difference and they do opt for homemade stuff and prefer it. I’m lucky, I know!
I’m truly lucky my persistence is paying off but that’s because they have allowed it all to reach their ears and wanted to take notice of the teachings.
Persistence and consistency are ultimately the key I reckon. It’s all hard work but definitely worth the efforts.
I’ve started with making these beautiful apples just as my mother used to but then I felt the need or quite the urge I’d say to add things to the apples to not only make it all more versatile but also get better nutrition from them.
We’ve had these for breakfast a few times now, it is super easy to prepare, and provides a delicious start to any day. Here is another delicious apple and cranberries breakfast.
Realistically, this apple bake can not only make a superb breakfast but also a yummy and a lot healthier dessert any day in the year, no matter the season. Of course it would peahaps suit autumn and winter best since apples are at their strongest and in full season, but also having it hot/warm will definitely make it a beautiful cold weather warmer and a soul hugger.
If there is one thing that I could say I’m struggling with it’s having fruits for breakfast. It’s only because I always tend to fancy warm, cooked stuff and mainly savoury.
These baked apples make a really nice dessert or a snack especially when we want to watch the calories intake. I can’t think of a better time to have this but now around the festive period. Just plain perfect.
Let’s just get baking!
Baked apples with rye flakes honey and cinnamon
Ingredients
- 4 apples *
- 6 tbsp rye flakes
- 6 tbsp barley flakes
- 4 tbsp almond flour
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 30 g butter cold *
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 4 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 4 tbsp honey or other syrups *
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp walnut toasted and chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 190°C/ 375F and take out an ovenproof dish.
- Wash and core the apples * (see recipe notes).
- Place the cored apples into the prepared oven dish, add one tbsp sugar into each apple cavity and set aside.
- Into a bowl, add the flakes, the salt, almond flour, desiccated coconut, the seeds, cinnamon powder and the nuts. Give it all a good mix. Add the butter and crumble this with the flakes mix until it becomes uniformly mixed.
- Fill up/stuff the apples with the mixture, drizzle 1 tbsp of honey or any syrup over each apple and place in the oven.
- Bake for 30-50 minutes depending on the apple sizes. Enjoy hot or cold ??
Notes
Susan says
What a delicious apple dessert. But I agree with you, I’d totally eat this for breakfast and without guilt! Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to try!
Ramona says
Thank you Susan, absolutely guilt free any time ??
Lizet Flores de Bowen says
Baked apples are so delicious.
I didn’t grow up eating desserts, a candy bar every now and then. Like you, I’m trying to teach my kids to make wise decisions when it comes to choosing food. I hope they turn out like your kids!
I love your toppings and the idea of having them for breakfast. Adding it to our menu.
Ramona says
Thank you so much dear Lizet, kids have it hard these days with so much tempting junk available but I always believe that it is our responsibility as parents to teach them what a healthy choice is. ?
Brian Jones says
Stuffed apples are just the best, these sound utterly delicious and loving the grains on the top, I am sure they get wonderfully chewy and sticky the further down the apple they get adding even more texture.
Ramona says
Thank you Brian, I cannot agree more with you, they’re simply delicious and I can never have enough of them, not to mention that lovely smell when baking them, the best! ??
Corina Blum says
I haven’t tried baked apples like these before. I think I’ve only made ones with raisins in so I should definitely give them a go, especially as it sounds like they are such a lovely childhood recipe for you!
Ramona says
Thank you Corina,
I’m sure you’d love this, it is really nice. I’ll look up for the raisins version as that sounds delicious too ??
Lesli Schwartz says
Love these baked apples! Healthy and gorgeous to serve for dinner guests. YUM!
Ramona says
Thank you Lesli,
Thank you so much.
Yes, indeed, these baked apples are great for any occasion to serve as a dessert or simply a nice healthy breakfast. Always wins! ?